Blind man's buff or blind man's bluff is a children's game, a variant of tag

Tag (game)

Tag is a playground game played worldwide that involves one or more players chasing other players in an attempt to tag or touch them, usually with their fingers. There are many variations...

. The traditional name of the game is "blind man's buff", wherein the word buff is used in its older sense of a small push. The game later also became known as "blind man's bluff"; it is possible that this name is a linguistic corruption, or it may originate from an older sense of bluff meaning to blindfold.

Gameplay

Blind man's buff is played in a spacious area, such as outdoors or in a large room, in which one player, designated as "It", is blindfolded and gropes around attempting to touch the other players without being able to see them, while the other players scatter and try to avoid the person who is "it", hiding in plain sight and sometimes teasing them to make them change direction.

Blind man's buff is ideally played in an area free of dangerous obstructions so that the "It" player will not suffer injury from tripping over or hitting something.

Versions

There are several versions of the game:

• In one version, the first player tagged by It then becomes It, and another round of the game is played. The Chinese version refers to the tagged It as lìng dài 令代, literally "to bid to take the place of".
• In another version, whenever any player is tagged by It, that player is out of the game. The game proceeds until all players are out of the game, at which point another round of the game starts, with either the first player or the last player to be tagged becoming the next It player.
• In yet another version, It feels the face of the person tagged and attempts to identify the person, and only if the person is correctly identified does the person become It.
• In a uniquely Japanese version, young girls dress up in their kimonos and the blind-folded girl must catch or touch the other girls both while blindfolded and at the same time carrying a full cup of tea. Saw this in Shuntei Miyagawa's woodblock print Kodomo-no-Asobi (Children at Play), published in the 32nd. year of Meiji-era (l899) by Matsuki Heikichi of Tokyo.

History

The game claims lineage as far back as the late Zhou Dynasty

Zhou Dynasty

The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...

 (circa 500 B.C.) and the Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 of ancient China.

The game has been known to be played since during the Tudor period

Tudor period

The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...

, as there are references to its recreation by Henry VIII

Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...

's courtiers. It was also a popular parlor game in the Victorian era

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

. The poet Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick may refer to:* Robert Herrick , American novelist* Robert Herrick , English poet...

 mentions it, along with sundry related pastimes, in his poem "A New Yeares Gift Sent to Sir Simeon Steward":

That tells of Winters Tales and Mirth,
That Milk-Maids make about the hearth,
Of Christmas sports, the Wassell-boule,
That tost up, after Fox-i' th' hole:
Of Blind-man-buffe, and of the care
That young men have to shooe the Mare

Similar games

A children's game similar to blind man's buff is Marco Polo

Marco Polo (game)

The children's game marco is a form of tag played in a swimming pool.One player is chosen as "It". This player closes their eyes so they can't see and tries to tag the other players. The player who is "It" shouts out "Marco" and the other players must respond by shouting "Polo", which "It" uses to...

. Marco Polo is played in a swimming pool; the player who is It shuts his eyes and calls out "Marco" to which the other players must reply "Polo", thus indicating their positions and making it easier for It to go in the right direction.

Another children's game similar to blind man's buff is Dead Man. Dead Man is played in an open place. One Person is "it" and has to close his/her eyes. Then the other people say "Deadman/Deadgirl, come alive, come alive at the count of five. One, two, three, four, five." Then the "Deadman/Deadgirl" has to walk around with their eyes closed trying to tag people.